The nation’s transportation agencies are aiding Maryland in reaching out to consumers regarding repairs on recalled vehicles through a federal FAST Act grant worth $222,300.
The grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) will be used by the Maryland Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Administration over two years. Under the program it generates, consumers will be given open recall information when they deal with vehicle registration, in addition to manufacturer-obligated recall alerts.
“The Department of Transportation is working with Maryland’s Governor, Larry Hogan, and his administration to focus on improving safety on our nation’s roads, and a key component of that is addressing recall remedy rates – as many as three out of every 10 recalled vehicles have not been repaired,” DOT Secretary Elaine L. Chao said. “Recalls are serious. Recall repairs are completely free to the consumer.”
Despite that free clause, only 70 percent of recalled vehicles are actually repaired on average, according to DOT statistics. In addition to notifications of recalls at registration, under the new program, Maryland will also give descriptions of the defect in question, the nature of the recall and information on the remedy’s need, to be provided by the manufacturer’s authorized dealer at no cost. An evaluation of the program’s success will be completed after the two year period.
The grant to Maryland makes it one of up to six states that could benefit from the money and the new informational push. At this time, however, Maryland is the only state that has applied for the grant.